


The fair princess’ unexpected courting

by armethaumaturgy



Category: Elsword (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Royalty, First Meetings, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-29
Updated: 2016-12-29
Packaged: 2018-09-13 06:03:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 869
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9109801
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/armethaumaturgy/pseuds/armethaumaturgy
Summary: Everything is perfect. There are decorations adorning every free space, the orchestra’s music reaches even the outside, and everyone’s dressed in the prettiest clothes.Then why isn’t Esper having fun?





	

Everything is perfect. There are decorations adorning every free space, the orchestra’s music reaches even the outside, and everyone’s dressed in the prettiest clothes.

Then why isn’t Esper having fun?

He’s idling around the banquet tables, swirling around red wine in his glass, watching the liquid instead of the royalty. He knows that, logically, he should make his way to the dance floor and take his turns dancing with the princesses, but he also knows that that would be more than pointless. None of them would be able to capture his fancy.

Which is why he is starting to regret even coming to the ball, but it would have been rude to not accept King Adam’s invitation.

As he’s contemplating his choices in life, someone makes his way over, capturing his attention. It’s a prince, dressed in colors similar to Esper’s, but there’s accents of white peeking out from underneath dark and purple fabrics. A prince from the neighboring kingdom, possibly and probably.

The prince grabs a glass of wine from the table and joins Esper by the side, offering a smile. “Crazy dance partners, huh?”

Esper just hums, taking another sip of his wine to avoid having to explain he hadn’t danced with anyone yet.

“Ah— my apologies,” the other man chuckles, holding out a white-gloved hand. “Lusa.”

His smile is warm and Esper takes a second to regard him; short white hair slicked backwards, warm magenta eyes, skin so white it can rival Esper’s, black uniform that clings to his frame in just the right way to show off that he has muscles. It is decorated with metallic accessories and a loose shoulder pad that sways and seems to capture Esper’s attention the most.

“Esper.” Esper takes the offered hand before his ogling becomes obvious and shakes it, almost — almost — flinching at the strength of the other’s grip.

The two of them get talking and, to his great surprise, Esper finds that Lusa’s not only good looking, but also funny. It’s about the tenth time he has to press his hand against his lips to stifle his laughter.

He hadn’t expected to actually have fun tonight, but lo and behold. He also hadn’t expected to find someone who could make his heart race, but lo and behold, his heart is hammering in his chest and he never wants this night to end.

But, as the reality would have it, exactly that happens.

“Well, I think it is high time I took my leave,” Lusa comments, placing down the empty wine glass onto the table. Esper has to fight a disappointed whine from bubbling up his throat.

“Already?”

“Well, yes, I did find what I came looking for. And leaving the kingdom unattended even for the full night might not be the best course of action.” Lusa adjusts his uniform, loosening the tie around his neck a bit. The action reveals a bit of the milky skin on his neck and Esper glances away, taking one last sip of his own wine so he can add the empty glass to the count.

“I see, so there is a princess you fancy?” he asks, unconsciously fiddling with his cape, bringing it just a bit further around himself. How unfortunate that courting works in such a way, denying him of his desire.

“There is,” Lusa chuckles. His eyes seem to twinkle in the warm light of the candelabras.

He reaches out and takes a hold of one of Esper’s hands, bringing the lithe, gloved fingers up to his face in a chivalrous gesture.

“You are dazzlingly beautiful, my fair princess. It’d be my grand pleasure to meet you again,” Lusa whispers, just loud enough for Esper to hear, over all the background noise and music. Lusa’s lips press against his gloved hand, softly leaving a kiss there that makes his hand tingle even after it is let go of.

He only manages to stammer out, “M-me too,” before Lusa’s back is to him, the sight of his dazzling smile burned into the backs of his eyelids. His face feels too hot and he doesn’t need a mirror nor one of the reflective, silver platters to know his porcelain-like skin is stained crimson from the remark.

The other prince is leaving the ball already, getting escorted by a pair of guards dressed in the colors of his kingdom, though Esper notes they don’t suit them as well as they do the prince himself. He hurries to the balcony, leaning over the ornamented railing just in time before Lusa’s carriage arrives.

“Hey!” he cries out, gathering both Lusa’s and his guards’ attention. “I’m not a princess, I thought you knew!”

From this far away, he isn’t sure, but he thinks Lusa grins. “I _do_ know!” the prince replies, equally as loudly.

Esper’s heart skips a beat, maybe even two right after, when Lusa sends him an air kiss, waving as he gets into the carriage and disappears behind silky curtains.

He twists on his heel and patters down the stone-paved halls, heading straight for the aviary. There’s a letter already forming in his head, something along the ways of making sure they’d meet sooner than the next scheduled ball.

Much, much sooner.


End file.
